Steering gear



J. R. CLARK AND H. A. FLGAUS.

STEERING GEAR.

APPLICATION FILED DEC.20. 1920.

pas.

Patented 'May 9, 1922.

`part of this `tures ot different forms used `UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE.

JAMES n. CLARK Ann HOWARD A. FLUG-AUS, OF TOLEDO, OHIO.

STEERING GEAR.

Application filed December 20, 1920. Serial No.

the `art to which it appertains to make and use the same, referencebeing had to the accompanying' drawings, and to the characters ofreference marked thereon, which :form a specication.

ur invention relates to automobile steen ing gears and it has for itsobject to provide mechanism for shifting the connecting bar whichinterconnects the stub axles ot the front wheels of a truck orautomobile, with perfect ease and without any play or lost motion inorderthat the truck or automobile may be easily steered While in motion.rI "he invention has for its object other features` and advantages whichwill appear :from lthe following description and upon examination oilthe drawings.

The invention may be contained in strucior steering conveyances ofdiiierent kinds.` .loshow a practical application of the invention, wehave selected a construction containing it and will describe ithereinafter. The structure selected for illustrative purposes, is shownin the acomlianying drawings.

Figure 1 ofthe drawings, is a longitinliual sectional view showing partsot the mechanism in full. Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view of thegearing, with parts ot the mechanism iii full, taken on the line 2-2indicated in Fig. 1. y

1 in the figures, is a shell or casing in which the gearing issupported. At one end it has the bearing or bushing 2, the other end issplit and also'is threaded. `It is provided with an opening large enoughto receive parts ot the steering gear. The openingl is closed by thethreaded bushing 3, which is also provided with the bushing or bearing4. The shell 1 has a cover l late 5 secured to the shell by means of thebolts 24. The cover plate 5 closes an opening 7 which is large enough topermit other parts of the mechanism to be inserted in the shell 1.

The shaft 6 is supported in the bearings 2 and 4. It is provided with aworin 8 that may be forced on the shaft with great pres- Specication ofLetters Patent.

rotation ot' the pin 14 Patented May 9, 1922. 431,834.

sure in order to secure the shaft and the worin together. It desired,the worm 8 may be made integral with the shaft. The shaft (i is alsoprovided with thrust bearings 9 and 10 located at opposite ends of theshell 1. 1vVhen the worm 8 has been inserted in position, the threadedbushing 3 is screwed down so as` tosecure the proper adjustment of thethrust about the threaded bushing 3 and thus to lock the threadedbushing position.

`The worm S extends through a block 12 `3 in its adjusted l which isprovided with trunnions 13 that ex* tend outward from opposite sides ofthe een ter of the block. he axes of the trunnions 13 are located atright 'angles to the axis of the block 12 and consequently at rightangles to the axis of the worm S. A pin 14 having a yoke 15 is locatedin the shell 1. The ends oi: the yoke are provided with bearing members16 in which the trunnions 13 are located. The trunnions being located onopposite sides ofthe block and so that the axes of the truniiions arelocated in a line passing through the axis of the shaft 6 and at rightangles thereto, endwise tilting movements of the block 12 is preventedupon rotation of theworin 8 against the load that may be brought tobear, tending to prevent and the yoke 1hv which interconnects the pin 14with the block 12 and moreover prevents any angular movement of theblock 12 about the axis oi the shai't Gaiidconsequently the block 12 issecurely held in a definite relation to the pin 14, except for therotativemovements of the pin and yoke on the trunnions 18 about the axesof the. truniiions.

The ends ot the yoke 15 may be secured to the trunnions by means of thebearing blocks 16 and by means of the bolts 17.

The pin 14 is located in a socket 18 that accurately fits the pin 14 soas to permit sliding movements oi.' the pin 14 in the socket. The socketis formed in a. shaft 19 and a boss 20 extending from the shaft in adirection away from the shaft 6. The pin thans, to maintain the largestpossible bearing 'areabetween the pin 14 and the shaft 19. The boss islocated on the side ofthe shaft- 19 opposite to that on which the shaft6 is located in order Vthat the shaft 19 may be brought very close tothe shaft 6 to increase fthe. strength of the connection between the twoshafts 6 and 19.

The shaft 19 is also supported in the shell :1 and is located inbushings 21 and 22 supportedH in bosses formed in the casing i. An arm23 is keyedr or otherwise secured to ythe shaft 19 ywhereby the arm 23may be rotated i'by the movements of the block 12 caused by rotationl ofthe worm 8 that threads through the `block 12.

The block 12 is moved along the worm-8 by rotation of the shaft 6whereby the pin 14 isftilted. about the axis of the shaft 19 and atl'the saine time slid into or out of the socket 18 and causes rotationofthe shaft 19. By this arrangement a simple, efficient and exceedinglydurable connection is made between the steering wheel of the conveyanceandthe front wheels'of tliel conveyance, which Vwill withstand the jarand rough usage towli'ich steering gearing of heavy trucks aresubjected.

The arm 23 is connected to the part of the steering mechanism connectedto the wheels.

llvloveinents of the arm 23 is transferred to the wheels in the mannerwell known in the art.

Thek shell 1 -maybe filled with. grease or other lubricant. lf desired,valve controlled passageways24 may be formed in the pin 14 to cause.movement of the lubricant l tothe surfaces ofthe pin and socket. The

ing the sliding lower end of the socket is closed by the concave capplate 25 having the opening 26 and a ball27 is spring pressed by lthespring 28 against the cap plate 25 and covers the opening 26. The spring28 is of a length suflicient to press against the ballnotwithstandmovementsof the pin 14. The vspring is located in a hole 29,of suflicient size to receive the spring and the ball. lVhen the pin israised relative to the shaft 19 the ball is raised a trifle by thesuction and the'oil or other lubricant enters the lower end of thesocket and on the return ing the lower end of the of the pin thelubricant is forced through the passageway 24 to the bearing surfaces ofthe pin and the socket.

llVe claim 1. ln a steering gear, the combination of a worm, a block forreceiving the worin and having bearing trunnions extendingr on oppositesides ofthe block, the axes of the trunnions being located in line atright angles to the axis of the worin and extendinpr through the axis ofthc worin, a yoke having bearing members and rlainping bearing blocksforming bearing surfaces at the ends of the yokes and on the blocks, andfitting the trunnions, a pin formed integral with the yoke, a shaftlocated at right angles to the axis of the worin and at right angles tothe pin, and. having a boss extending away from the axisof the worm. andhavingr a bearing surface for the pin extending through the shaft andthe boss.

2. In a steering gear, the combination ol' a worm, a block for receivingthe worin and having bearing truiinions extending from opposite sides ofthe blocks, a pin having :i yoke, the yoke having bearing surl'areslocated at its ends and fitting the trunnions, a shaft located at rightangles to the axis of the worin and to the pin and having a boss. and abearing surface for the pin extending through the shaft and boss, acover for closboss and having a small opening for permitting alubiicaiit to enter the interior of the boss. the piu having passagewayscommunicating with its'` hearing surfaces for lubricating the surfaces.

3. ln a steering gear, the ronibinaliou ol" a worin, a block forreceiving the worin and having bearing tiunnions extending from oppositesides of the blocks, a pin having a yoke, the yoke having bearingsurfai-ef: located at its ends and fitting thetiuiniions` a shaftlocated at right angles to the axis ol the woim and to the pin andhaving a boss. and ay bearing surface for the pin extending vthrough theshaft and boss, a cover for closing the lower end of the boss and having:i small opening for permitting a lubricant to enter the interior of theboss, the pin having passageways communicating with its bearing`surfaces for lubricating the surfaces. and a valve ball for closing thesaid opening. ln testimony whereof we have hereunto subscribed ournaines to this sperilication.

JAMES R. CLARK. HOlVAR-D A. FLOGAUC.

